Page:Rudyard Kipling's verse - Inclusive Edition 1885-1918.djvu/565

 INCLUSIVE EDITION, 1885-1918 547

Long afternoons o' lyin' still,

An' 'earin' as you lay The bullets swish from 'ill to 'ill Like scythes among the 'ay.

Ah there, Piet! be'ind 'is stony kop.

With 'is Boer bread an' biltong, 1 an' 'is flask of awful

Dop';

'Is Mauser for amusement an' 'is pony for retreat, I've known a lot o' fellers shoot a dam' sight worse than Piet.

He's shoved 'is rifle 'neath my nose

Before I'd time to think, An' borrowed all my Sunday clo'es

An' sent me 'ome in pink; An' I 'ave crept (Lord, 'ow I've crept!)

On 'ands an' knees I've gone, And spoored and floored and caught and kept An' sent him to Ceylon!

Ah there, Piet! you've sold me many a pup,

When week on week alternate it was you an' me " 'ands

up!" But though I never made you walk man-naked in the

'eat,

I've known a lot of fellows stalk a dam' sight worse than Piet.

From Plewman's to Marabastad,

From Ookiep to De Aar, Me an* my trusty friend 'ave 'ad,

As you might say, a war; But seein' what both parties done

Before 'e owned defeat, I ain't more proud of 'avin' won,

Than I am pleased with Piet.

1 Dried meat. ' Cape brandy.